Hi, our names are Bisleen and Navan. We are 4th year naturopathic medical students and our goal is to advocate for mental health in our South Asian communities. Mental health is very close to our hearts and we want to work to BREAK this stigma down in our communities regarding mental health. Talking about mental health and accepting its presence is one of the biggest taboo topics with us South Asians. But we can change this! If we work together and educate each other, and those older and younger than us, we can work to accept and normalize our mental health.

Living in South Asian families, we both have firsthand experience with regards to how our community views mental health and those suffering from mental illness. Our goal is to change this narrative. We take pride in educating anyone and everyone about the basics of mental health and about stigma itself so that we can all access the care that we may need, and reduce these cultural barriers that are in our way.'

The first step to breaking this stigma is to become curious and educate ourselves on the topic so that we can be sure that we are sharing and talking about the most appropriate information. We must become mini-mental health advocates in our own lives in order for us to see this change be present within the rest of our community. Other things we can do include using the appropriate terminology and avoiding words like “crazy”, “insane”, “useless”, or anything else that adds a negative connotation to those who are suffering. Lastly, we must lose this fear of judgement and become comfortable having conversations about mental health on a daily basis, especially if we are to normalize this topic.

We also love to educate others on the topic of resiliency. Being resilient means you can face any challenge that life throws your way. In order to do this, you must make yourself and your health a priority. You must learn to optimize the foundations of good health, which includes your sleep, diet and exercise habits, along with the activities you do to take care of your mental health. To be resilient you must take care of your body as whole. Resilient people also understand that it is okay to ask for help, and they know that asking for help only makes them stronger, not weaker. The other two key pieces of resiliency include positive self-talk and not giving up. Positive self-talk is something that anyone can develop if they start with self-awareness and learn to practice compassion for themselves. Ultimately, your health is in your hands. You have it in you to become the best version of yourself and achieve anything you put your mind to. It is time that we begin to break the stigma of mental health within our community, but we must work together. Let’s make our minds stronger, not weaker! And let’s work on becoming more resilient together!

Additional resources:

• https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-recovery-coach/201706/ten-commandments-how-talk-about-mental-health - brief summary of how to appropriately talk about mental health/mental illnesses

• https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626 - importance of nutrition for mental wellbeing

• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/when-your-adult-child-breaks-your-heart/201506/eating-optimal-mental-health - nutrition and mental wellbeing

• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/click-here-happiness/201803/think-positive-11-ways-boost-positive-thinking - positive thinking

Author Bios:

Navan Sidhu is a 4th year naturopathic medical student from Toronto, Ontario. She is currently working as a student intern, and is passionate about how mental health ties into all aspects of our lives. Her struggles with mental health (both her own and with her loved ones) have motivated her to break the stigma in our South Asian community, as well as in our social circles and family. This led to her collaborating with Bisleen and all about M.E [Mental Empowerment], to start spreading the word and breaking down these taboo subjects.

Instagram: @mindfullymedicine

Bisleen Attli is also a fourth-year naturopathic medical school student who is obsessed with the topic of mental health and more specifically, obsessed with teaching people how to achieve their best health by creating an unbreakable mindset. Bisleen's passion stems from her own struggles with depression and she has now made it her mission to teach others her 4-step process on how to be resilient, which she does as a part of her campaign, alongside Navan Sidhu. She believes that through education and by standing together as a community, we can break the stigma against mental health.

Instagram: @bisleenattli

Website: www.bempoweredbyb.com